As much as I hope that you each do experience your best life now, I have to share this unfortunate truth - everyday isn’t a Friday. Tough Times come. To believe anything otherwise is to set yourself up for huge disappointment. For instance, as Jesus lays out the signs of His return in Mark 13, He outlines a couple of events that don’t sound very ‘Friday-like’…more like a series of manic Monday's in my opinion:

Event #1 - [1] And as he came out of the temple, one of his disciples said to him, “Look, Teacher, what wonderful stones and what wonderful buildings!” [2] And Jesus said to him, “Do you see these great buildings? There will not be left here one stone upon another that will not be thrown down.”

The building were they had believed all there life that God dwells would be destroyed! Not a Friday.

Event #2 - [7] And when you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be alarmed. This must take place, but the end is not yet. [8] For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be earthquakes in various places; there will be famines.

Jesus-followers will be surrounded by disastrous things from both natural and human doing. Not a Friday.

Event #3 - [9] “But be on your guard. For they will deliver you over to councils, and you will be beaten in synagogues, and you will stand before governors and kings for my sake, to bear witness before them.

Jesus-followers will be persecuted, jailed and abused for following Christ. Not a Friday.

Event #4 - [12] And brother will deliver brother over to death, and the father his child, and children will rise against parents and have them put to death. [13] And you will be hated by all for my name's sake. But the one who endures to the end will be saved.

The relationships that seem closest to Jesus-followers will prove fleeting in comparison to the one that they are to have with Him. Not a Friday.

Event #5 - [14] “But when you see the abomination of desolation standing where he ought not to be (let the reader understand), then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. [15] Let the one who is on the housetop not go down, nor enter his house, to take anything out, [16] and let the one who is in the field not turn back to take his cloak. [17] And alas for women who are pregnant and for those who are nursing infants in those days! [18] Pray that it may not happen in winter. [19] For in those days there will be such tribulation as has not been from the beginning of the creation that God created until now, and never will be. [20] And if the Lord had not cut short the days, no human being would be saved.

They will be forced to flee all that is normal to escape the severity of the struggle. Not a Friday.

Event #6 - [24] “But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, [25] and the stars will be falling from heaven, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken.

It will be the end of the world as we know it. Not a Friday.

Now, before you think I woke up as negative Nelly today, I have some good news that did begin on a Friday…and not the one after Thanksgiving. One Friday of one Passover week, Jesus gave His life so that one day in your future this event will happen that will outweigh all the struggle and trouble and ‘Monday-like’ mess that you can imagine:

The only Event that matters - [26] And then they will see the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory. [27] And then he will send out the angels and gather his elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of heaven.